AT HOME LASH AND BROW TINTING

When I recently went on holiday, I decided I wanted to have my lashes and brows tinted so that when I was in the pool, they actually looked a little more defined and I wouldn't feel so bare faced. Although I was ultimately still not wearing makeup, I wanted a bit of definition. I had decided that going to get them done professionally was too much money and sort of gave up on the idea, until I spotted the Colorsport 30 Mascara Eyelash and Brow Dye Kit in Boots.

The set seemed pretty simple, 2 solutions (a liquid and a gel) which didn't involve any mixing, and could be used multiple times. I also chose this set because it takes a matter of minutes to do everything.

If I'm honest I noticed more difference in my brows, and will definitely keep tinting my brows with this set because I don't have to do as much work on them with makeup. A lot of my eyebrow hairs were quite fine and blonde and so they looked slightly misshapen even after I had groomed them, so this really helped me out. As for lashes, they did look a bit darker but not anything majorly different that I experienced with my brows. Perhaps it was because I was a little worried of having it near my eyes for too long.

Generally speaking though, this set is definitely worth the try. I got the Dark Brown version and it works perfectly for me, but there's also a Black version which might be better for those of you that want to see more difference in your lashes. They also have versions for Brows/Lashes alone, but to save money I went for the joint set. It's really up to your preference, but let me know in the comments if you've tried this out before, or similar at home sets.

REAL TECHNIQUES NIC'S PICKS

Real Techniques have ruled by brush collection for more than enough time for me to know I love their range, and when this set dubbed Nic's Picks came out I knew I would be getting my hands on it, a range of brushes chosen into a set by a professional herself, in stunning silver packaging - I was sold. Each brush holds a different purpose for me, and I love every single one.

The Duo Fibre Brush is the one I use daily for powdering my base, as it offers a light dusting and does not overpower any of my makeup. This is not dense at all, so you won't be looking flat faced at all, and this brush is a staple from me, and it's also brilliant if you are a bit scared of blush like myself, as it offers just a light sweep of colour.

The Cheek Brush is exclusive to the collection, and from looking at pictures I imagined it to be like the Expert Face Brush, but it is rather different, as it is larger, with longer bristles yet still rather dense (although not quite as much). This is also good for blush, especially cream products and bronzer too as it seems to get the same perfect for my face.

The Angled Shadow Brush is another exclusive to the set, and this is a good one for crease work, especially if you want to define with a matte shadow, as it fits right into the socket. I didn't think I would like this one so much, but I've got quite a lot of use from it and it is super handy for a range of eye looks, from everyday neutral to an intense smokey eye.

The Base Shadow Brush was the one I was really looking forward to trying, as I'd heard so much praise about it, and boy is it good. It applies colour and blends colour seamlessly and honestly if you only had to get one brush, make it this. It's slightly tapered making for easy blending and I use this no matter what look I am going for. It's a winner.

Finally, another exclusive in the form of the Eyeliner Brush, a short, firm angled brush which is superb for a strong gel liner wing, or even for pressing a dark brown or black shadow into the lashline for some less intense definition. I also like this for a strong brow with an eyeshadow, as you can be really precise with your application and with a little extra time you can almost mimic some hair strands as it is such a fine brush.

I certainly have me eye on the bold metals collection too, though I'm not sure my budget will allow for it, but the Flat Contour brush from that range is most certainly on my wishlist.

BOTANICS SKIN CALMING NIGHT CREAM

This winter saw me a dramatic change in my skin, where I has dry flaky patches under my eyes, around my nose, in between my brows and my chin a little bit. For someone with generally combination skin all year round it came as a bit of a shock and found myself with no other alternative in my skincare cupboard. I spoke to Megan who recently had a similar issue and recommended me the Botanics Skin Calming Ultra Calm Night Cream.

I actually use this day and night, because the Day Cream alternatives have some SPF in them and from past experience they have made my face look paler than it already is. It's thick, but absorbent so when you wear it in the day it actually makes makeup sit on it really well, and this is all I've been using day and night for the past two weeks or so. The 'soothing marshmallow' claims to leave the skin less reactive and more calm, due to its natural sugars and polyphenols. Not that I understand that. 

It cleared my skin up dramatically, with in about 2 days all the dry patches were gone and everything felt soft, replenished and soothed - basically, really calm. I couldn't believe how quickly it had worked, and now I'm really intrigued to try the serum from the same line. The best thing is, the range doesn't even break the bank, and there are usually offers on anyway.

How has your skin been this winter?

THE SIMPLE FLAT BOOT

Last year, I went for a faux suede chunky small heel boot, and wore them endless amounts, although on reflection this Autumn/Winter I don't like them quite so much (although I do crack them out sometimes) and wanted to go for a flat option.

One of the perks of having small feet is that I can still fit into the New Look Generation like, where these are from. They are like a flat chelsea boot but with a little scalloped detailing on the side panels which I really liked. The heel is slightly thicker than a normal flat so still makes me appear and inch or so taller (having small feet comes in hand with a short height) and I really like that.

I have been wearing these with skirts, jeans, jeans rolled up - everything. I love the look of them with any outfit and they are so comfortable to wear that I never get sore feet even if I'm going all day.

I kind of hope these last me into next year but at £19.99 they hardly broke the bank either. I can't get enough of them and look forward to exploring more ways to style them.

BOTANICS ALL BRIGHT - NIGHT AND DAY

I can't argue with budget skincare, especially if it works well for me. I adore my stash of Origins, but sometimes you can become a little heartbroken when something runs out and you are too broke to repurchase. I have resorted to finding drugstore staples that allow me to try even more products out and minimise the heartache.

The Botanics All Bright range is something Megan got me interested in, and as my day and night creams were hitting the last few days worth of product, I scoured the shelves Boots to locate the Hydrating Day and Night Creams, and it was worth it. They have that slight idea of a very gentle chemical exfoliant too, with the brightening hibiscus added in.

The Hydrating Day Cream SPF15 not only hydrates, but also protects the skin with the SPF incorporated in there. It is quite a light texture but when you work it into the skin you feel the hydration coming through - I'd say it'd work for most skin types. They are both quite salmony in colour and have quite a nice scent to them which I can't put my finger on, but nevertheless it gets some brownie points from me.

The Hydrating Night Cream ditches the SPF, is thicker, and is slightly darker in colour. The consistency of this is quite luxurious yet not too heavy at all, and you can definitely tell the difference between the day and night offerings.

For a mere £4.99 each (but often on some kind of offer), I would recommend trying these out for a purse-friendly kick of hydration, especially as the weather turns a little cooler.

PRE-SPENDING BAN BEAUTY HAULING

Yesterday, I went shopping - bad idea, I know. But, in the next couple of weeks I am starting my spending ban in order to save for my trip to America in the next few months so that I can try out some of the beauty items from there, but of course I had to pick up a couple of things I could try out so I wasn't totally beauty purchase deprived up until I step into the airport (read: Duty Free).

I restocked on the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in the shades 1 Fair and 2 Cool Medium as I caught the sun a little recently and so I thought I could mix the two of these together to find a match. I also got a new Batiste for those bad hair days in the Floral & Flirty Blush scent.
Sticking with the hair products, I also thought I would give the VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray a whirl and on first impressions, I'm a little unsure - how do you use this product?

In the trusty Boots clearance I found the Botanics Face Brush which I plan to use occasionally to cleanse, and this was £2 anyway so I thought it'd be a good time to try it out. As well as this, I found the Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil in Brownie Points for £4 (after peeling back the sticker apparently it's expired but if it's unopened I don't see the issue - I'll report back), but this is something I have been wanting to try for a while now so when better than for when its selling for something short of a fiver.

In TkMaxx I found this Orly Nail Polish in Va Va Voom (a vibrant neon pink in which the picture just isn't doing it justice) but this was a bargainous £2.99 so I couldn't pass it up and I thought it'd be a good summer shade. Finally in Topshop I got these simple gold shape earrings in the sale for £2.50 and thought they would be nice to wear everyday.

What have you been buying recently, and what are your tips for saving money?

COLLECTING AND SPENDING POINTS

Loyalty cards and points cards are where it's at in the beauty world, as I am sure most of us can't resist
getting a treat free of charge. When you do the maths, it can be a little staggering to find out how much you have actually spent in order to gain those beloved points, so maybe put the calculator down on this one.

I only have 2 points cards, as I don't have the likes of Space NK locally, so I only have the option to get some pennies back from Boots and Superdrug.

The Boots Advantage Card is the one which gives you more points for your money. Coming in at 4 points per pound you spend, and then each point counts as 1p, it isn't too bad. In theory, its 4p back from every £1 worth of purchases. The only downside is that you have to have the entire amount of points equivalent to the product price in order to make the purchase, whereas with the Superdrug Beauty Card, you can spend your points in multiples of 100 towards any product.

If you are unsure what I mean, maybe this will help. For Superdrug, if you had 364 points on your card - equivalent to £3.64, you could put 300 of these towards your product. Did that even help you? But, there is a downside to this one too, you only get 1 point per £1 spent, so really you would end up spending a minimum of £100 in order to get £1 off a product.

Nonetheless, the spending part is very fun. Being on my spending ban, I needed (read: wanted) a new foundation, something a little lighter to coincide with my 'wear lighter coverage' New Year's resolution. The Rimmel Match Perfection was on the till, and I can tell you, I am very much enjoying that foundation as my go-to base, so points well spent if you ask me...